The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1887-10-15
WASHINGTON LETTER
Prom cir Regular coyyes9ondenf.)
WASHINGTON, D. c., Oct. Il, 1887.


Prom CIR Regular Correspondent
Washington, D. c., Oct. III, 1887.
There is strong probability that the
President on his return will call an
extra session of Congress. His trip to
the great West has given him enlarged s
ideas Of the grandeur and magnitude OF
the country over which he providential-
ly presides. If be had taken that trip
years ago, he would have been wiser
man, and the country would have been
saved vast amount Of financial trouble
and anxiety. There is time yet for him
to atone for the neglect OF his education
OF earlier years, and if he returns with
the thought that the Presidency OF a
great Nation means something more
than mere political chicanery, the time
and expense Of his trip will be OF small
account.
The evidence is thoroughly conclusive
that the President had his speeches pre-
pared in advance, printed at the Govern
ment Printing Office, and took them
away in sheets ready to be discharged at
the various cities he intended to visit.
The proof is abundant and Mr.. Cleve-
land must face it.
The Government Printing Office is the
regular bee hive of Washington. 1t is
the largest printing establishment in the
world-being 300 feet long, 100 feet
wide and stories high. All the public
documents are printed here, and all the
modern inventions to facilitate rapid
work, are here in use. There are about
$500 employed in the building, and the
volumes issued each year reach thou
sands of tons in weight and millions OF
copies. 1t is great treat to visit the
establishment.
At the National Observatory they have
wonderful instrument known as the
"Great Equatorial Telescope" which
weighs 10000 pounds. A sight through
that, some clear moonlight evening, is
worth a trip to Washington. Truly the
heavens declare the glory Of God, and
the armament sheweth His handiwork."
The Observatory is under the direction
of the Navy Department, and ranks with
the foremost in the world. It's library is
very large and choice, and is a great
resort for the thoughtful and studious.
Some of the foreign diplomats at
Washington are exceedingly well paid
by their respective Governments, some
being double and treble what we pay
our Ministers. The British Minister gets
$4,000 year, and is allowed $4,000 a
year for entertaining, the German Min
lister gets $4,000, the Japanese $4,000,
the Chinese $4,000, and is allowed $ll )
900 for house rent. The Turkish $780,
900, Russian $4,000, and French $780,
600. The Chinese Minister is said to be
worth 100000, and is regarded as the
ablest and shrewdest of all the foreign
diplomats.
There are about $4,000 clerks en-
ployed in the departments at Washing
ton, about 1000 of this number being
females, the great majority OF whom are
finely educated and most estimable
ladies'. Many of them are the widows
or daughters of noted Generals, ex-Con-
gressmen, ex-Cabinet Ministers, etc.,
and many of them marry noted men.
There is. no doubt, quite number OF
very questionable characters in this vast
aggregate, but the majority of the lady
clerks will rank with the best women of
the land.
The Dead Letter Office reveals some
interesting facts that should cause us to
be little more careful in our cores
pondence. During the past year, 4,S00,-
600 letters were received there, making
an average Of $4,000 for every working
day. Nearly four million OF these letters
were never called for at the post offices
to which they were directed, and 49,
900 of them were sent to hotels and
reached there after the guests for whom
they were intended had left. A great
many of the letters were misdirected.
Fully 1000 of this kind came to the
Office every day. Many of the letters
contain money, and last year there was
$4,000 in cash among them and more
than $1,50O,O00 in drafts and money
orders. Eighty-four thousand letters
contained postage stamps, $4,000 photo
graphs, and $4,000 articles of merchan.
disc